the Wonderfully Wicked Witch
by Jace Perkins
Summary: squanoia, lite on mush, full of humor and surprises// chapter 4, squall races the clock, quistis pulls her hair, desraye finds (her) god and zell finds himself a rock and a hardcase
1. Missteps and blowups

            ** Disclaimer –

 I own nothing, Square owns it all, life is so unfair

Enjoy

She turns her head slowly, as if she had just become aware of my presence, though I've been standing behind her for what seems like forever., "ah, it's you again, I'm glad, you're one of the nicer ones.", I  try to speak, but no sound comes out, she chuckles knowingly, "Sorry dear, you're a bit young to control  the dreamtime yet, I know it's a shame, but that's life. Sorry for the short visit , but you have to go now, we'll talk more next time for now, check beside the bed."  

            I wake with a start, my heart pounding, my breath is rapid and ragged. Every night for the past eight months she had visited my dreams, every night I'm greeted by those emerald green eyes. Who she is, I don't know, but I'm starting to think she's more than just a dream phantasm. 

I look beside me to my fiancée, but Squall is not there, in stead all I see is a blood tipped wing. Just As I begin to panic I remember the last words of the dream I pull my wings in as I lean over the edge of the bed to look.

"Uummm", I see, right next to our bed, Squall Leonheart , leader of Balaam Garden, lying on the floor face down, moaning, stitchless with his bare pasty white rump sticking up in the air. It would be a hilarious scene if not for the slowly growing pool of blood near his face, or the fact that I'm responsible, with a crimson tipped wing to bear out my guilt. Actually it would still be funny, accept for the fact that he's awoke and getting  up.

"Noa, how did I end up on the floor, and why is blood coming out my nose?", Squall is known for his eerily constant calm, but right now it gives him an air that downright homicidal.

"Um well, you see what had happened was…", I fight to get the words out, wanting to tell him everything, but not knowing how to say, in the end I cop out, "I had a bad dream"

Squall raises his left eyebrow, "well could you stop dreaming, or at least tie back those wings, they kinda hurt.", Sadly, he is serious. 

My blood goes on slow boil, " Well you never complain about them when we play 'naughty angel'" Squall is the only person I know who can literally blush all over.

"Well yeah, bbbut tthat's not hitting," it's my turn to raise an eyebrow, "uuh okay  once, but you had those stiletto… , Noa, can we stick to the point. Look we need to do something about this.", He reaches over to the wall intercom, "Helm, this is Squall, Take us to Trabia, ¾ throttle, I want us there by 0800 tomorrow."

"Aye, Sir", I stare at Squall in total bewilderment, wondering how a course change was going to help at all.

"Rinoa, Report to the dry dock at 0830, we're going to disembark and rendezvous with Matron at Trabia, there you well talk with her about the situa… owww, what the hell was that for."  

"It was for being a complete and total jackass, Squall Octavius Leonheart, I am not one of your little SEED to be ordered around, and at this rate I won't be your fiancée either, now get out, GET OUT!!" 

"Noa, calm down, please be reasonable, I mean, it's 1202 in the…", I feel a very disturbing, if familiar darkness raising within, and then, nothing. 

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            "Noa, calm down, please be reasonable, I mean, it's two in the…", I turn from the communications console, preparing to call Edea and Cid, just in time to see Rinoa's angelic body begins to fade. In her place, a black sphere begins to grow. I'm out of the room before 'He' manifest, sealing the door tight behind me. As I lean back against the door to catch my breath, a chill runs up my back. I start to walk to Zell's, but remember that he's still off with Selphie and the remnants of the discipline committee in Eshtar on that 'special mission'. I turn around and head over to Irvine's, dreading the questions he's going to ask, but it's better than sleeping in the hall, and running to Quistis, would cause more problems than I care to imagine.

            I press the buzzer on the door, "One minute", Down the hall I hear the sound of two girls giggling. I turn to see two girls loaded down with chest and bags. The slender brunette with piercing blue eyes licks her lips, while the other, a dusky skinned, black haired beauty, is blushing, averting her eyes but peeking back. They must be some of the new hopeful SEED coming in, the newbies always act goofy. That reminds me about the speech I'm supposed to give tomorrow, welcoming the new candidates. I start going over it in my mind just as Irvine finally opens the door, standing in a half-sleep stupor for some unknown reason wearing a hat but no shirt. Out of no where he bust off laughing

            "Uh Squall, I know I'm irresistible, but damn man, no"

            "Kinneas, what the hell are yo..", as I speak, I feel a chill across my bum, I look down and the giggles make sense. "Man, let me in."

            "Okay, but only if you promise we'll still be friends in the morning" Irvine turns and walks to the bedroom, laughing like a madman at his own joke. I try very hard to stand casually and not think, but all that keeps going through my head is standing in front of the newbies tomorrow, after the story has made its rounds. A deep groan escapes my throat as I fall back into the armchair

            "Dude, that's just nasty", Irvine tosses me a pair of sweatpants and a white tee.

            I reach to put the sweatpants on, " Irv, don't act like I'm the first one to sit on this chair bareback"

            "You're the first guy" I raise one eyebrow, "No really, if I'm on the bottom, I prefer the couch", as he speaks, my head falls forward into my hand, as I try to shake the picture from my mind

            "Nice image, thanks"

            "This from the 'Balaam Streaker'", Irvine burst into laughter all over again 

            "Irvy, what's going on?" I look over to the bedroom doorway, to see a busty blonde standing their wearing a silk pajama top.

            "Oh hell, forgot you were here, sorry beautiful, but you've gotta mosey on home."

            "Aw, but Irvy, since we're both up, I thought we could play rodeo again", I feel the red rushing to my face

            "Sorry dove, I hate to disappoint a lovely lady, but the boss here needs to talk to me. Come back tomorrow same time, and this time, please don't forget your spurs and don't worry, I'll warm up the cattle prod.", My mind simply freezes at those words, by the time it clears, she's gone and there's an icepack on my head. "Squalllll, Squalll", a sharp sting meets my left cheek, "Dude, stay out of the light" 

            "I'm, I'm, I'm fine, Noa."

            "Bossman, you've got problems if you can't tell me from Rinoa. Speaking of that lovely young lady, why were pointing that thing at me instead of her", Irvine's has all the tact of a man who has lived his life following a bull's behind

"Rinoa woke up all trip out over some dream, she knocked me out of bed, busted my nose, and then got mad at me when I tried to help.", Irvine looks at me with a dubious gaze. "What?"

"Well now boss, I know your idea of helping, I'm surprised she didn't kill ya"

"She called Diablo to try"

"Oww, Yeah I can see why you were running the halls, minus your duds."

"She even used the o-word"

"no, not that, I mean murder is one thing, but that's low. Wait, I just remembered, didn't Fujin have Diablo?" 

"They didn't get along too well, she switch with Rinoa for Shiva."

"That makes sense, I mean to trade of course" Irvine smiles enigmatically

"Whatever, Irv, can we finish this tomorrow, or better yet never, I'm really tired and we have the Salutation tomorrow evening, so I have a full day ahead of me."

"What about Rinoa?"

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you going to talk to her tomorrow?"

"About what?"

"Squall Leonheart, you, my friend, are about as sharp as a worn horseshoe", Irvine says as he gets up chuckling, and walks to the bedroom

"What?"  

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Just as Diablo appears from the sphere, I reign in my temper and call him back. When I look around, Squall is gone. The tears that have sitting in the back of my eyes, quietly break free, flowing quickly down my face. I was sorry for being so mean to Squall, realizing he was just trying to help, and it probably was a good idea to talk to Edea about these dreams. Still, sometimes Squall has all the sensitivity of a gargoyle.

A cool wetness on my arm suddenly grabs my attention, I turn to find Angelo rubbing his nose against me. I wrap my arms, around his neck and weep bitterly into his fur as he rest his head on my shoulder. We remain like that for an hour before I fall into an uneasy sleep.


	2. Good Morning?

*Disclaimer- All FF characters are the sole and exclusive property of Square, not me

            The darkness is turned to a vibrant red by the sunlight reaching Selphie's eyelid's through the fog. Slowly, gently she stirs, squeezing her eyelid's shut, not daring to open them, and rolling over on to her other side. Strangely, her bed is wet, itchy, and smells slightly of urea. The last factor rouses her from half-sleep to fully-dazed, she opens her eyes and rises slowly. She looks around to find that she is alone, save for a bloody apparition. Selphie lets out a blood-curling scream, quicker then the eye can see, the phantasm leaps  to its feet , in its hand a…pinwheel?

            Selphie stops screaming long enough to realize that the ghost** is** standing, very menacingly and totally un-ghostlike. It as her eyes adjust to the fog, it becomes apparent that it is a woman, who, while not a ghost, is as pale as if she had just seen one, hair included . Recognition fails her, even as she stares into the blood-red eye, until it occurs to her that she is staring into an eye, it's twin replaced by a patch.

            Just then, a blonde youth comes crashing through the trees, fists raised, the sun gleaming off the metallic studs in his gloves. The intricate tattoo around his left eye leaving no question who he is.

            "Zell, it's Fujin!", Zell looks at the diminutive brunette, looking every bit the little girl with a monster under her bed, then over to the slim, toned, battle-primed albino, still crouched with chokram in hand. He let's one fist fall to his side as he smoothes his hair back with the other .

            "Uh Selph, thanks, but we've met", at this, Fujin begins to chuckle softly as lays her weapon back down. Zell catches her gaze, then Selphie's sheepish, bashful look, He falls over backwards, doubled up in laughter.

            "Is everything, ya know, all right, you know?", the deeply tanned teen, a night and day contrast to his twin, appears over the edge of the cliff, not even out of breath from the forty foot climb

            "AFFIRMATIVE", Fujin answers as Zell struggles to breathe between guffaws.

            "Fine Raijin, just woke up a little spooked", Selphie replies, speaking more to the ground than any one around , too embarrassed to meet anyone's eyes.

            "oh, well ok, ya know, so long as you're alright, ya know"

            "All right, enough games, people, we're delaying serious business", everyone turns, a little surprised at the seriousness that show on Zell's face, "Breakfast" he says with the look of determination that he reserved for food. While religious about training and exercise, his diet was a cardinal sin, somewhere between gluttony and fornication. "Raijin, you and Fujin watch the camp, Selphie , could you come with me and help me pick up the fire wood I dropped rushing over for the 'emergency' introduction", Selphie, who had stood sullenly to go with Zell, looks up at him like a bull at a matador. Raijin intercedes just in time, catching the fireball of red-faced fury around the waist and lifting her off the ground inches out of reach of the once more hysterical youth.

            "Clam down, ya know, don't kill him"

            "AFFIRMATIVE. WOOD…FIRST", Selphie stops swinging, clearly out of breath

            "Ouch, that hurts, that's really low, Fu"

"FUJIN!", She retorts through clenched teeth

"Uh right, Fujin it is", Zell responds, as he  quickly backs away toward the woods, pulling along a now calm Selphie, "Selphie, how about we go get that… whoa!!", Zell's left foot sinks into a dip in the ground , and he falls backwards on to his rump. Everyone turns towards the thump, Raijin goes back to arranging stone around the fire pit he just dug, while Selphie stands in shook, with her hands over her mouth. Fujin quietly chuckles as Zell gets up, Wiping the dampness of morning dew from his baggy black denim overall shorts. 

"WEIRDO", Fujin speaks, mostly to herself as Zell and Selphie have disappeared.

"Who do ya mean, ya know?"

"BOTH", Fujin shakes her head, smiling as she goes back to cleaning the fish. Raijin quietly notes the smile, then turns his attention back to a beautiful white stone with black specks.

                        *                                  *                                  * 

"The door buzzer sounds as I'm brushing my teeth, "Just a minute", I hear Irvine shout over the clatter of the pans he's cleaning . He opens the front door as I come out into the bedroom and go to put on a pair of old pair of Irvine's boots, wondering how the man manages to do everything in them, almost knee-high as they are. 

"Well now, if this isn't a pleasant surprise, though I should have known it was only a matter of time before my charms got to ya."

"Actually Kinneas, as charming as you think you are, I'm here to see Squall, Rinoa side he might be here.", Quistis, or rather acting Headmistress Quistis, The title given her while Cid and Matron are off on a second honeymoon of sorts. What she didn't know was that the title could become permanent, since Cid was considering retirement.

"Ms. Trepe, I'm staggered, that you would want a man two weeks from the pent.. I mean alter, when you have a wild stallion right here, free for you."

"Free, huh, does Charmaine know this."

"Who?"

"Charmaine, the new physics instructor, You went out with last night, honestly, if you're going to sleep with her, you should at least get her name", tactfully, Irvine doesn't even bother to argue the point.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but in your presence, all other's are forgotten"

"Irvine, please stop, I'm lactose-intolerant"

"Ouch, and I thought I was the sharp-shooter"

"Ah Squall, there you are", unable to bear the insanity any longer, I had step out the bedroom with one boot only half-laced. "Are you aware that you fiancée's moping around your apartment with eyes as red as the Ragnorok." I start to speak, but Quistis raises one hand and shakes her head. "Please don't explain, my days full enough, but here's a clue for the clueless, promise me that before you screw up worse you'll go apologize, alright?", I nod silently

"Good, now on to business, why are we over Trabia"

"I'd tell you, but then I would have to explain about Rinoa."

"Fair enough, is your speech ready", Thinking about the speech, I felt the single sweat drop form and fall.

"Aahh, yeah, sure, all done"

"Good, I can't afford any mistakes to day."

"Quistis is everything okay, you're not exactly your usual self"

"How's that cowboy?"

"It's just you usually don't sweat the details", Quistis eyes glaze over for so brief a moment that I almost miss it.

"Oh, just stress I guess"

"Oh now that's a shame, Why don't you come into the bedroom and let me teach you about the magic of my fingers, I'll message your stress away in no time."

"No Thanks, I want no part of your bedroom; and, for the record, I don't like quick", Irvine stands, uncharacteristically at a lost for words, While I close my eye and try to shake yet another scarring image from my mind. "See you later boys", Quistis turns to walk out the door, "And Irvine, please, remember her name is Char – maine, I don't need anymore staff leaving over your heartbreaking.", She says over her shoulder as she walks out.

"Squall, I tell ya, there is something about a woman with a whip, and she's a schoolmarm to boot."

"Headmistress"

"However you slice it, I still want detention.", Irvine shivers, a smile on his face. He walks back into the kitchen, whistling. I shake my head and open the door, heading back to keep my promise to Quistis, and trying not to thing about the ceremony tonight.


	3. sorry

Everyone, I apologize for the delay in posting, but I had to turn my attention elsewhere for a spell. If you're curious about the worth of this diversion, check out _Council Chronicles _ in originals.J

*Disclaimer- All characters, and place names are the property pertaining to the Final Fantasy series are the property of Square.( I know, it sucks)

"Uh, of course I saw, it was impossible not to see"

"Kar, I know you 'saw', but what I'm asking is did you **see  **that guy last night, I mean, if Hyne had a body, it could be no better."

"I don't know , Des, I mean, he was cute and all, but I'm not quite ready to blaspheme."

"Well, I'd sell your soul to get with him."

"Isn't that going a little fa…, Hey, why my soul, you want him."

"Ka-ri, Ka-ri, Ka-ri, I couldn't sell _my soul_**, **then I wouldn't be able to enjoy him, but you're as close to me as my own heart, so it still counts"

"And still you could sell my soul, what a way to show you care, Thanks for making me feel so special."

"Anytime Kar, anytime"

"Okay, topic change, 'cause you're creeping the hell out of me. What do you think is going to happen tonight."

"We're probably going to be bored out of our wits listening to some stiff old geezer rambling on about honor and junk, I wish we could just skip it and get right to the GFs"

"Well, I'm looking forward to tonight, The head mistress herself is suppose to be there, along with some of the senior SeeD. You know, I even heard that president Laguna's son might be there tonight."

"Who cares, so long as that tender morsel from last night is there"

"You know, it's been rumored that there are more important things in a man than his body."

"My poor naïve Ka-ri, There is only one thing that I need a man for, so if he's not equipped for the job, nothing else matters"

"Desraye Shelicut, I am surprised at you!, … okay, okay, so I'm not surprised, you can put your eyebrow down, you look so creepy like that."

"Shut up and show me what your wearing tonight."

                        *                                  *                                  *

"Just a minute", I shift my weight nervously as I stand outside my own door. A simple touch of my hand at the right spot, and the door  would be open, but after hearing the state Rinoa had been in, I want you give her a chance to straighten herself  up, partly to let her save face, and partly because I just can't take tears.

The door slides open, Rinoa stands on the other side, wearing a light blue sundress, with her hair pulled back in a simple queue. Her smile upon seeing me is radiant, even though her eyes still bear the breath of a crimson tinge. I quietly exhale the breath I had unconsciously been holding, and as I inhale, a fragrance so enticing wafts to my nostrils, That I almost forget why I came. The smell of lemon, mint, and rosemary entrance me, my only thoughts only focusing again when I remember one fact.

"Rinoa, you can't cook.", Rinoa chuckles

"Squall, shut up and sit down before the only thing you taste is your foot.", I walk past her silently, removing my proverbial foot from his mouth long enough to kick my self. Sitting down, I remember why I came

"Rinoa, I sorry about last night."

"I'm not exactly sure, but probably I said something wrong."

"Squall, as sorry an apology as that is, please don't, for once, this isn't about what you did or didn't do. I know last night you were just trying to be there for me, and while your manner needs work, you were right, I'm sorry.", Somehow, in the course of her speaking, she had found her way behind my chair, with her hands crossed over my chest.

"Wait, so I didn't screw up?", I turn to speak over my left shoulder, and almost bump heads with her. She had been leaning down, presumably to kiss me on the neck, stopping short to avoid the imminent collision. She instead pecks me on the cheek.

"No dear heart, you still screwed up, but I screwed up far worse. You can't help who you are, and I love you for it, not that it doesn't irk the hell out of me sometimes. So I set this up to apologize for everything, particularly the whole Diablos matter.

"Uhh, so you cooked to apologized, thanks Noa, really, that was really sweet and all, but completely unne..."

"Actually, Quistis cooked, so you can relax. I called her last night after you left and she came over to spend the night. She cooked this meal before she left.", Quistis loves to cook, and everyone loves her for it. She could turn shoe leather into a five star meal, and from the smell, she had used a higher quality of ingredients than that.

"Oh well, in that case, apology accepted, let's eat"

"But Squall", I fight the urge to jump as her hand slips beneath my waist band., "I haven't finished apologizing yet.", her voice is sweet and innocent, her intentions are anything but. She begins to nibble on my ear and neck. She works her way around to the front of my neck, pulls her skirt up a bit, and straddles my legs, resting back against the table. She grabs my shirt and pulls me out of my seat and towards her.

"Uh, Noa, weren't we about to eat?"

"Oh, you can eat all you want, but the food has to wait", As she slides back across the table, pulling me with her, I wonder what she means.

                        *                                  *                                  *

"You asked to speak with me, Headmistress?", her voice is cool, pure business.

"Ling, we've known each other too long for such formalities, call me Quistis.", it had been this way for weeks, and there was no question why. Quistis was intentionally trying not to notice.

"I'm sorry Headmistress, but I feel that would be unprofessional, and while we're on duty I would appreciate it if you would could me Instructor Xu."

            "Xu, Excuse me, Instructor Xu, what's going on, we've been on a first name basis since I graduate top of your class."

            "I was inexperienced then, I've raised my standard since.", Quistis tries not to guess which standards she's referring to .

            "Very well, instructor, the reason I called you her is that, in going over the class schedule for the incoming SeeD candidates,  I found I needed to juggle a couple of things. For one thing, because of my responsibilities, I need to scale back my class schedule, as such, I've had to move some teachers around to compensate. I wanted to ask you if you had any objections to the teaching Ethics in Society classes, both parts, for the entering class. I think that a strong, experienced hand should guide them from the start, your hand."

            "When is this class?"

            "Well, this semester, it's during session 3, so no conflicts, if you like I can give the class of your choice to one of the other teachers, to keep your schedule from getting crowded. Next semester, regrettably, is not so neat. The class is during session 6, the same as one of your stealth tactics classes. I know this is your favorite class to teach , and your excellent at it."

            "So, who do you have replacing me."

            "I don't know for sure yet, it will be hard to be replace you"

            "Very well, Headmistress, I'll take over this class, if you promise me two things, one, that my replacement is at least competent, and two that you'll wipe your nose." She rises and walks out without another word. Quistis fights down the urge to grab her Save the Queen and split the bitch. Instead, she reaches over to the intercom controls.

            "Helen, is my 3 o'clock here?"

            "Yes headmistress, he just stepped off the elevator, should I send him in?"

            "Yes, please.", In walks the 6 foot plus cowboy, spurs jingling, Quistis quietly chuckles.

"Now ma'am, while I love it when you're in a good mood, I might just be hurt if you're laughing at me."

"I am, sort of, or at least at your entrance."

"Now what humor could you find in that?"

"The kind that comes from a Stealth Tactics teacher jingling."

"Uh, teacher?"

"Yes, that's why I called you in here, we're short on teachers, and given your background as a sniper, I thought you might just qualify."

"Well, I do know how to keep things quiet."

"Anyway, if you agree, you'll have to take a few extra classes to qualify you as a teacher. Currently, these classes aren't being offered, but I can take you on one-on-one"

"One-on-one?, I'm in."

"It won't be easy, and there will be no fun, we have over a year's worth of work to get through in one semester, so I recommend you think before you sign-up, because once your in, I'm not letting you out."

"Why Miss Trepe, I'm blushing"

"Of the agreement, I'm not letting you out of the agreement."

"Oh, well, in that case, I still up for the job, just less enthused"

"Good, we start tomorrow, meet me here at 1pm."


	4. Worn thin

            "BOTHERING?", The usually quiet woman found herself disturbed by the silence of her usually overly-excitable partner. On one level she found the fact that it fazed her troubling, but had brush off her discomfort as simple concerned for the mental state/alertness of the person covering her back.

            "Huh?", The blonde youth jerks his head up, snapped out of his brooding by Fujin's sudden, mildly jarring query.

            "NOT YOU,…. QUIET"

            "I'm not the only one", Zell mumbles just loud enough to be heard

            "HUMOROUS….NOT ANSWER"

            "I'm fine, just thinking about what we can have for dinner, shame we couldn't pack some hot dogs.", He smiles brightly, trying hard not to think about the conversation he had had with Selphie outside the campsite as they gathered wood.

            *_"Selphie, what's going on with you, you're a little more off than normal, and you're always more than a little off."_  

            _"Cut the jokes Zell, this is serious, and you don't seem to get it."_

_            'Get what, what are you talking about Selph?"_

_            "I don't know what Squall was thinking sending those two out here to hook up with there leader, and you seem just as dense chumming around with two people who last than two years ago were public enemies number 4&5 respectively, now they're supposed to be good guys. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Fujin almost kill you last year."_

_            "While yeah, but things were kinda crazy then. Look, you don't know them like I do, yeah they could be jerks when they were on the discipline committee, but they're not so bad, you know.", HE chuckles at his own impression._

_            "I'm glad you find this so funny, I hope you're still laughing when you find a chokram in your back."_

_            "Actually, I was going to send you with Fujin."_

_            "Oh no I'm not going anywhere with that semi-literate zombie."_

_            "Selphie, I'm shocked.", for once the playful teen was dead serious._

_            "Be shocked, and while you're at it, be with her."*_

            "YOU SAY", Fujin shrugs casually, knowing otherwise, but not willing to push the issue. 

            "What, don't you want hotdogs for dinner, what's wrong with you?"

            "NOTHING…YOU?"

            "Really, Not.. Whoa Mama!!", Fujin leaps in the air, rolls and pivots just in time to avoid the tentacle slashing at her. Her chokram goes flying from hand and into the mass of tentacles, slicing two away, and revealing a gigantic mouth. Zell jumps to the offensive, swinging a powerful hook just below the monster's gaping maw, Fujin closes her eyes and stands dead still "Ugh, That sten…", His voice drops off as his body turns to  stone.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

         

            "Squall, wake up!", Normally Squall Leonheart is a light sleeper, normally he'll leap awake at a whisper. The last ten hours have been anything but normal.

            "Huh, wh wh what, I'm up, I'm up, what's wrong?"

            "What's wrong?, what's wrong is if we don't get to the ceremony in ten minutes, Quistis is going to rip you a new one and shove me in it.", Dammit, I had promised Quistis, I'd get him there on time. I had made that promise with every intent on following through, grateful for the advice she had given me. I started out playing a role, showing a confidence I didn't feel, but the more I played it out, the more real it became. It was almost as if something came over me, something strange, something a little overpowering. It scared me, I liked it. Clearly by the death like slumber Squall had slipped into afterwards, he must have enjoyed the experience as well.

            "What time is it?, the confusion begins to fade from his face.

            "Ten to nine, hurry up and get in the shower, I'll lay out your uniform. and medals.", He gets up without another word and walks into the bathroom. Watching him go, I'm tempted to follow, but images of Griever after he met Quistis whip come to mind, sending a chill down my spine. I go into the walk-in closet and  search through Squall's side, an impressive collection of leather, denim and fur. Deep in the back, there is a vacuum-sealed case, my idea, ever since I had discovered his SeeD uniform buried beneath the bed in his old apartment, his medals tossed haphazardly in a drawer.

            I undo the lock, breaking the seal. Carefully I remove the uniform from the chestnut box and carry it over to lay on the bed. I hear the shower is off, and the sink is running. A quick peek at the clock shows we have only six minutes left. I rush off to grab the polished box of ebony wood. I opened the box, inside, resting on the layer of sapphire blue crushed velvet, was what Squall called 'the most expensive paperweight collection in history.'

 As I enter the bedroom once more, my asentimental love stands, wrapped in a towel, hair still dripping, bent over digging in a drawer. For a brief moment, I'm tempted to throw the towel aside, but then I remember the image of Griever as he/she met Quistis whip. " Squall, hurry up, and don't forget these, ut ut ut, no arguments, Quistis insist, she's killing herself to make this work, and more importantly, she'll kill me if it's your not on time and presentable.", Squall hangs his head in resignation.

"Whatever", he slides the uniform on with practiced precision, in less than two minutes, he has it on, medals and all. "Alright I'm ready, let's go."

"Uh, I'm still wearing a sheet, dear heart. I'll be there soon, don't worry, oh look who I'm talking to. Go, go." He turns to leave, I look at the clock, two minutes, thirty seconds, "Wait", I grab him by the shoulder, spin him around , place my hand on the back of his neck, and pull him into a deep, probing, soul-searching kiss. Sadly, we only have thirty seconds, I pull away. "Go"

He stands upright, attempting to stand with dignity and composure, he stoops awkwardly, a grimace of pain spreads across. I look down, and chuckle, "wow, um whoa, no, Quistis kill, you go now." Roughly, I push him out the door, shutting it quickly before I can reconsider. I turn to go back to the closet, but stop as I pass the comm. unit and remember a promise.

            "Operator", the voice is bright, cheerful, and friendly.

            "Yes, could you connect me to the Trabia Garden, please", after a moment of silence, a click and buzz, breathig can be heard on the other side of the line. 

            "Hello Miss Heartily, your call has been anticipated, you'll be connected in a moment", It was always like this, no question just knowledge, it was eerie, if you let yourself think about it, I never did.

            "Hello, child, what troubles you?"

            "Well, Ed…, Mis…, Ma'am, I don't exactly know how to explain it, but things are not going well. I need help, and I don't know where to go, Squall thought that you might know what to do."

            "Rinoa, be still child, you need fear not, I shall help you as I can. Come as soon as you can, and we well talk in detail. For now, rest easily, and I shall see you in the morning.", Her voice is entrancing, I sit on the edge of the bed, darkness engulfs me before I feel the mattress beneath me.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            "How are they?", she shuts off the screen at the question, and turns to view the, relatively short,  bespeckled man.

            "Not well my love, they believe it is all over.", The pale woman reaches out for the hand of the grandfatherly old man. With the runes that decorate her body, the white that decorates his head like snow on a tree, the appear like a study in contradiction. In the look they share, however, is a mutual acceptance and understanding inexplicably profound.

            "Is it bad for them to believe that, it let's them have a little peace and happiness before everything blows up again."

            "My dear, they may find happiness, but for our children, peace is not their lot."

            "Well, at least we get to see Rinoa , and maybe the others, I miss them"

            "And I."

                                    *                                  *                                  *

            "Headmistress, the caterer has just informed me that the salmon mousse may have been left out a little too long. He wants to know what to do.", Quistis finds herself dumbfounded, a state not familiar to the young woman, renowned as a genius, with test scores to back it up.

            "You have to ask?"

            "Right, I'll tell him to serve it anyway."

            "What, no, throw it away."

            "But ma'am, that dish alone cost five thousand gil to prepare, plus, we don't have anything to serve in its place." The tall blonde, rubs her head, trying to message away the forming headache.

      "Headmistress, is everything alright, you seem a little stressed", Make that a migraine. The voice, sweet like saccharine (excessive and artificial), grates on her nerves like a file on wood. Quistis turns slowly to face her former mentor.

            "Just a small problem, I can deal with it." She contemplates offering the sour whipped fish to the petite, older woman. She fights the urge, just barely succeeding.

            "I trust you believe you can, by the way where's our keynote speaker."

            A deep breath, followed by a heavy sigh, "Oh don't worry Instructor Xu, he should be here soon. In the mean time, maybe you can help me, see I ordered too much salmon mousse and need to g… " 

            "Evening ladies", Both women stop and turn to see the speaker, Quistis bites back a laugh, while Lei Ming walks away with a derisive snort., "Quist, is everything alright."

            "Trash the mousse, do it now.", The young party-planner nods his head and walks away, calculating the waste, the final figure makes him wince in pain. "Sorry Irvine, so much to handle, I hate minutiae, but what can you do. By the by, have you seen Squall.", He stares, slightly confused but the brisk, crisp, almost curt manner she speaks in. He debates whether to note it

            "Yeah he 's coming this way, and it looks like him and Rinoa made-up."

            "How can you tell"

            "Balamb's not big enough for him to be that out of breath"

            "You are a pig."

            "Hey, pigs are pretty darn smart, I'll let you handle this while I wrestle up a sit right in front, Quisty." The lanky cowboy feels the heat of the headmistress gaze as he steps to his seat, whistling casually.

            "Quistis?", The garden's leader stands in a stance of patented nonchalance, the only breech of his demeanour being the flush in his normally pale cheeks. 

            "Squall, aren't you cutting it a little close?", The fair-skinned youth shrugs, unwilling to speak for fear of saying the wrong thing. "Whatever, Where's Rinoa?" 

            "She's coming later."

"Is she all right?", Quistis probes warily, worried that Squall's manner might signal continuing unrest.

"She's fine." After so many years of practice, Squall Leonheart had mastered the art of short answers. Unfortunately, he was still a novice in the art of answering the unspoken questions. Quistis decides not to push the issue, ill-at-ease in the realm her erstwhile beloved's love life, and unable to spread her attention any further than the business of the moment. Not that she begrudged he his happiness, or even because she still carried a torch for him, the fuel having long since burn out. On, the contrary, she was liked Rinoa, and the situation, while awkward at times, had become a staple of her environment, a consistent element in her currently tremulous existence. The sound of shattering glass however, reminds her that the turmoil requires her attention. 

"Good, look, I have to go see about that, are you ready?'

"Whatever", The blush disappears from his cheeks, replace by a death-like pallor as he finds himself victim to his former teacher's icy gaze for the first time since he graduated. "I mean yes, yes ma'am"

"Excellent, take your seat, we start in ten minutes.", Squall walks over quietly, almost sullenly. Quistis turns to check on the early shatter.

                        *                                  *                                  *

"Ladies and gentlemen, attention!", Lei Ming Xu was not a physically imposing figure, but her reputation proceeded her, at the sound of her voice, utter silence fills the hallway. "Thank you, now you all have your seating order, I expect no problems in your compliance. Today is a day of celebration, you should all be proud of making it into Balamb Garden's SeeD training program, but remember, an important part of learning to be a SeeD is learning to be disciplined, and the sooner that is mastered the better. Congratulations once again, please proceed to your seats." With a perfect about face, Xu walks back into the newly refurbished and rename event pavilion, exactly three minutes early, cursing under her breath as she notes that everything is in place.

"Wonderful", the dusky beauty's voice is imbued with all the enthusiasm of a sloth on barbiturates. Her brunette companion, cuts her ice blue towards, the faintest echo of a smile on her lips, but her mind elsewhere. Ka-ri Pherina had known Desaraye Shelicut for most of her life, the two could not be called friends, exactly, but they worked well together. It was a relationship devoid of expectation, and thus there was never disappointment. 

"Desraye, look!", it's a whispered shout, but several of the young candidates who are near stir uncomfortably, still shaken with the warning they had just received. Desraye was not one to be easily shaken. She casually follows Ka-ri's line of sight until she finds herself gazing upon the object of her sacrilege. As she takes her seat, she unconsciously licks her lips.

                                    **… To Be Continued**


End file.
